Diverter valve means and method



May 5, 1970 F s. GENBAUFFE 3,510,053

DIVERTER VALVE MEANS AND METHOD Filed Sept. 26, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet l 66 1o Q 1? [fi 2| I9 FIG 2 INVENTOR FRANCIS SGENBAUFFE HIS ATTORNEYS y 5, 1970 F. s. GENBAUFFE 3,510,058

DIVERTER VALVE MEANS AND METHOD Filed Sept. 26, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR FRANCIS S. GENBAUFFE HIS ATTORNEYS Y MI M United States Patent l 3,510,058 DIVERTER VALVE MEANS AND METHOD Francis S. Genbautfe, Irwin, Pa, assignor to Robertshaw Controls Company, Richmond, Va., a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 26, 1967, Ser. No. 670,741 Int. Cl. F23n 1/00 US. Cl. 236-68 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DlSCLOSURE This disclosure relates to a diverter valve means provided with an inlet and a pair of outlets respectively opened and closed by a pair of valve members moved between their opened and closed positions by an actuating means, the actuating means being so constructed and arranged that in one position of the actuator means, one of the valve members is disposed in its closed position and the other valve member is disposed in its opened position and when the actuating means is disposed in another operating position thereof, the first-named valve member is in its opened position and the second-named valve member is in its closed position. The actuating means is also so constructed and arranged that the same causes the particular opened valve member to fully move to its closed position before the actuating means begins to open the closed valve member as the actuating means moves between its operating positions.

This invention relates to a diverter valve means for effectively diverting the flow 0f fluid into the inlet means of a housing means of the diverter valve means to a selected one of a pair of outlet means for the housing, this invention also relating to a method of operating such a diverter valve means or the like.

While such a diverter valve means is particularly useful for diverting fuel fiow from a control device to a bake burner interconnected to one of the outlets thereof or to a broil burner connected to the other outlet thereof, such as in a double burner oven arrangement, such diverter valve means and method can be utilized for other purposes as desired.

One feature of the diverter valve means of this 1nvention is to actuate the respective valve members in such a manner that when the actuating means is in one of its operating positions, one of the valve members is closed and the other valve member is opened. Conversely, when the actuating means is in another operating position thereof the first-named valve member is in its opened position and the second-named valve member is in its closed position, the actuating means operating in such a manner that the actuating means causes the particular opened valve member to move to its closed position before the actuating means will move the closed valve member to its opened position as the actuating means moves between its operating positions.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide improved diverter valve means having one or more of the novel features set forth above or hereinafter shown or described.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved method for operating such a diverter valve means or the like.

Other objects, uses and advantages of this invention are apparent from a reading of this description which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the improved diverter valve means of this invention in one of its operating positions.

3,510,058 Patented May 5, 1970 FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of various parts of the diverter valve means of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 and illustrates the diverter valve means in an intermediate operating position thereof.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1 and illustrates the diverter valve means in a different operating position than the operating position of the diverter valve means of FIG. 1.

While the various features of this invention are hereinafter described and illustrated as being particularly adaptable for controlling the flow of fuel for a double burner oven arrangement or the like, it is to be understood that the various features of this invention can be utilized singly or in any combination thereof to provide diverter means for other fluids of other apparatus as desired.

Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to only the embodiments illustrated in the drawings because the drawings are merely utilized to illustrate one of the wide variety of uses of this invention.

Referring now to FIG. 1, the improved diverter valve means of this invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 10 and is schematically illustrated as being utilized in a typical double burner oven system generally indicated by the reference numeral 11 and comprising a control device 12 for receiving fuel from a fuel source conduit 13 and selectively and/or thermostatically directing the same through an outlet conduit 14 to an inlet means 15 of the diverter valve means 10 which, in a manner hereinafter described, can direct the fuel entering the inlet means 15 thereof either through an outlet means 16 leading to a bake burner 17 for the system 11 or out through another outlet means 18 leading to a broil burner 19 for the system 11. In addition, the control means 12 is so constructed and arranged that the same will direct a fuel flow through a conduit means 20 leading to a pilot burner means 21 to create a flame means 22 when the control device 12 is set in a position for operating the broil burner 19 as will be apparent hereinafter.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the diverter valve means 10 includes a housing means 23 provided with the inlet means 15 and the outlet means 16 and 1 8 interconnected to the inlet means 15 by a chamber means 24 formed in the housing means 23.

The inlet means 16 is interconnected to the chamber 24 of the housing means 23 by a valve seat 25 adapted to be opened and closed by a valve member 26. Similarly, the outlet means 18 is interconnected to the chamber 24 of the housing 23 by a valve seat 27 adapted to be opened and closed by a valve member 28.

The valve members 26 and 28 are similar in construction and each includes a resilient disc 29 for seating on the respective valve seat 25 or 27 to close the respective outlet means 16 and 18 from the inlet means 15, the resilient disc member 29 being carried by a rigid member 30 having a bore means 31 interrupting a shoulder-like free end 32 thereof and telescopically receiving a ball-like free end 33 of a stem guide member 34 having the other end 35 thereof carried by the housing means 23. In this manner, each valve member 26 or 28 is adapted to move substantially axially relative to its respective valve seat 25 or 27 and be guided by the guide means 34 while being rockable relative to the ball end 33 of the guide stem means 34 to permit the resilient part 29 to seek its own position in fully seating and sealing against the respective valve seat 25 or 27.

The valve member 26 is normally urged toward its closed position by a compression spring 36 disposed between the housing means 23 and the shoulder end 32 of the valve member 26. Similarly, a compression spring 37 is disposed between the housing means 23 and the shoulder end 32 of the valve member 28 to normally tend to urge the valve member 28 to its closed position against the valve seat 27.

In general, actuating means 38 are carried by the housing means 23 and are so constructed and arranged in a manner hereinafter set forth that when the actuating means 38 is disposed in the position illustrated in FIG. 1, the actuating means 38 causes the valve member 28 to be in its closed position and the valve member 26 to be in its opened position. Conversely, when the actuating means 38 is disposed in the operating position of FIG. 4, the actuating means 38 causes the valve member 26 to be in its closed position and the valve member 28 to be in its opened position.

However, as the actuating means 38 moves between its operating position of FIGS. 1 and 4, the actuating means 38 always causes the particular opened valve member to move toward its closed position and permits that valve member to fully close its respective valve seat before the actuating means causes the closed valve member to move to its opened position whereby at no time are both valve members 26 and 28 disposed in their opened positions to permit the inlet means to be interconnected to both outlet means 16 and 18.

The actuating means 38 includes a lever means 39 having a pair of ears 40 at one end 41 thereof and a bifurcated opposed end 42 defined by a pair of legs 43' adapted to straddle the parts 30 of the valve members 28 and 26 in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 to operatively interconnect the lever means 39 thereto with a lost motion action to provide the above function in a manner hereinafter described. While the lever means 39 is illustrated as being formed of two parts 44 and 45 suitably secured together to operate in unison, it is to be understood that the lever means 39 can comprise a one-piece member or a. multi-piece member as desired.

The cars 40 of the lever means 39 are respectively provided with fulcrum notches -46 to receive and fulcrum against fulcrum members or edges 47 projecting from a plate-like member 48 having tang means 49 received in suitable slot means 50 of the housing means 23 to substantially secure the end 51 of the plate means 48 to the housing means 23. However, the other end 52 of the plate means 48 has a downwardly bent tongue 53 carved therefrom and has the free end 54 thereof bearing against a. threaded adjusting member 55 carried by the housing means 23 whereby adjustment of the member 55 relative to the housing means 23 will adjust the effective pivot point or fulcrum members 47 for the lever means 39.

The lever means 39 has a central slot means 56 passing therethrough to partially receive a compression spring assembly means 57 comprising a compression spring 58 disposed between two cup-shaped retainers 59 and 60 espectively bearing against an outwardly directed tang 51 on the end 52 of the plate 48 and a tang 62 on the .ever means 39 whereby the spring assembly 57 causes the ever means 39 to partially move between its operating JOSitlQH of FIGS. 1 and 4 with a snap action as hereinrfter described.

A condition responsive means, generally indicated by he reference numeral 63 in the drawings, is carried by :he housing means 23 and includes an expandible and conractible power element 64 having the interior thereof luidly interconnected to a conduit means 65 disposed in luid communication with a bulb portion 66 containing :xpansible and contractible fluid means or the like to ense the flame means 22 at the pilot burner means 21 in l manner hereinafter described.

The power element 64 includes a movable wall 67 :arrying an extension 68 having a ball 69 secured on the ruter end thereof and disposed against the end 41 of the ever means 39 to the right of the fulcrum notchets 46 .nd fulcrum tangs 47 as illustrated in FIG. 1.

In this manner, expansion of the power element 64 from the position illustrated in FIG. 1 to the position illustrated in FIG. 4 in an manner hereinafter described, causes the lever means 39 to pivot in a clockwise direction from the position illustrated in FIG. 1 to the position illustrated in FIG. 4. Conversely, as the power element 64 contracts from the position illustrated in FIG. 4 to the position illustrated in FIG. 1, the lever means 39 pivots in counterclockwise direction from the operating position of FIG. 4 to the operating position illustrated in FIG. 1.

The operation of the diverter valve means 10 when utilized in the control system 11 will now be described.

When the control device 12 is manually or automatically set in a position to operate the bake burner 17, the control device 12 interconnects the fuel supply conduit 13 to the conduit 14 while preventing fluid communication between the supply conduit 13 and the pilot burner conduit 20 whereby no flame means 22 exists at the pilot burner means 21. Since no flame means 22 is sensed by the flame detector 66 of the diverter valve 10, the power element 64 is in the contracted or fully collapsed position of FIG. 1 whereby the compression spring 58 maintains the lever means 39 in the pivoted position of FIG. 1 so that the arms 43 of the lever means 39 bear against the underside of the shoulder end means 32 of the valve member 26 and hold the same in the opened position illustrated in FIG. 1 in opposition to the force of the compression spring 36. In this manner, the fuel flow now entering the inlet means 15 of the housing 23 from the control device 12 passes through the opened valve seat 25 out of the outlet means 16 to the bake burner 17 to be ignited by suitable ignition means (not shown).

With the lever means 39 disposed in the position illustrated in FIG. 1, it can be seen that the compression spring 37 maintains the valve member 28 against the valve seat 27 to prevent fluid communication between the inlet means 15 and the outlet means 18 leading to the broil burner 19, the lever 39 being prevented from pivoting further in a counterclockwise direction from the position illustrated in FIG. 1 under the force of the compression spring 58 because the end 42 of the lever means 39 is bearing against the valve member 28.

Therefore, as long as the flame detector means 66 does not detect a flame means 22 at the pilot burner means 21, the diverter valve means 10 will remain in the position illustrated in FIG. 1.

When the housewife or the like desires to utilize the system 11 for controlling the operation of the broil burner 19, the control device 12 is adjusted manually or automatically to a broil position thereof wherein the control device 12 not only fluidly interconnects the fuel supply conduit 13 with the conduit 14 leading to the inlet means 15 of the diverter valve means 10, but also interconnects the supply conduit 13 to the conduit 20 leading to the pilot burner means 21 whereby the fuel now issuing from the pilot burner means 21 is ignited by suitable ignition means (not shown) to continuously create the flame means 22 as long as the control device 12 is set in its broil position.

With the flame means 22 now existing at the pilot burner means 21, the fluid in the flame detector bulb 66 is heated by such flame means 22 and expands in such a manner that the same causes the power element 64 to expand and cause the wall 67 thereof to move outwardly and carry the ball 69 therewith to pivot the lever means 39 in a clockwise direction from the position illustrated in FIG. 1 toward the position illustrated in FIG. 4.

However, as the lever means 39 begins to pivot in a clockwise direction from the position illustrated in FIG. 1, the valve member 28 remains in its closed position by the force of its associated compression spring 37 as illustrated in FIG. 3 and the clockwise moving arms 43 of the lever means 39 permit the compression spring 36 of the valve member 26 to cause the valve member 26 to follow such clockwise movement of the lever 39 and approach the valve seat 25.

Such movement of the valve member 26 toward the valve seat 25 continues as the power element 64 continues to expand and when the same has expanded to the position illustrated in FIG. 3, the valve member 26 fully seats against the valve seat 25 to prevent fluid communication between the inlet means and the outlet means 16 to the bake burner 17. However, in the position of the diverter valve means illustrated in FIG. 3, it can be seen that the arms 43 of the clockwise moving lever 39 still have not reached the shoulder end means 32 of the valve member 28 whereby the compression spring 37 still maintains the valve member 28 against its valve seat 27 at the same time the valve member 26 closes the valve seat 25.

Therefore, both valve members 26 and 28 are disposed in their closed positions as illustrated in FIG. 3. However, the power element 64 continues to expand from the position illustrated in FIG. 3 to the position illustrated in FIG. 4 whereby the lever 39 continues to move in a clockwise direction and when the arms 43 engage the underside of the shoulder end means 32 of the valve member 28, the clockwise moving arm means 43 of the pivoting lever 39 carry the valve member 28 therewith in operation to the force of the compression spring 37 to open the valve member 28 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 4.

Therefore, with the valve seat 27 now opened by the diverter valve 10, fuel flowing into the inlet means 15 of the diverter valve 10 can now pass out of the outlet means 18 thereof to the broil burner 19 and be ignited by suitable ignition means (not shown). The diverter valve means 10 remains in this position of FIG. 4 as long as the flame detector means 66 is detecting the flame means 22 at the pilot burner means 21 because the power element 64 remains in its expanded condition as illustrated in FIG. 4 to maintain the diverter valve 10 in the operating position illustrated in FIG. 4.

However, should the control device 12 be turned to another position thereof so as to disconnect the fuel supply conduit 13 from the conduit leading to the pilot burner means 21, such as by turning the control device 12 to its off position or a bake position thereof, the flame means 22 will cease to exist at the pilot burner means 21 whereby the fluid in the bulb 66 will contract and cause the power element 64 to contract from the position illustrated in FIG. 4 back to the position illustrated in FIG. 1.

As the power element 64 is contracting from the position illustrated in FIG. 4, it can be seen that the force of compression spring 37 of the valve member 28 will not only cause the lever means 39 to pivot in a counterclockwise direction and follow the contracting movement of the wall 67 of the contracting power element 64 in addition to the force of the compression spring 58 of the assembly 57, but also the force of the compression spring 37 will cause the valve member 28 to move toward its valve seat 27 until the same is fully seated in the manner illustrated in FIG. 3. When the valve member 28 fully seats against its valve seat 27 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 3, the counterclockwise movement of the lever 39 has not caused the arm 33 to engage against the shoulder end means 32 of the valve member 26 so that both valve members 26 and 28 are disposed in their closed position.

Further, contracting movement of the power element 64 from the position illustrated in FIG. 3 to the position illustrated in FIG. 1 causes the lever means 39 to further pivot in a counterclockwise direction under the force of the compression spring 58 of the assembly 57 and have the arms 43 thereof engage against the underside of the shoulder end means 32 of the valve member 26 to carry the same therewith in opposition to the force of the compression spring 36 to the fully opened position illustrated in FIG. 1 whereby the diverter valve 10 will remain in the position illustrated in FIG. 1 until a flame means 22 again exists at the pilot burner means 21 in the manner previously described.

Therefore it can be seen that the diverter valve means 10 and actuating means 38 are so constructed and arranged that regardless of the operating position of the diverter valve 10, only one valve member will be in an opened position and that opened valve member will be moved to its closed position before the other valve member will be moved to its opened positioned.

If desired, the compression spring assembly means 57 can be utilized to partially pivot the valve member 39 with a snap action after the lever means 39 has moved a particular valve member to its valve seat closing position with a throttling or modulating action to permit the other valve memb r to be substantially snapped from its closed position to its opened position so that sufficient fuel will immediately pass through the thus opened valve seat for full ignition thereof and not create a flashback problem.

For example, the line of compression force action of the compression spring 58 between the ends of the tang 61 on the plate means 48 and the end of the tang 62 on the lever means 39 progressively increases in its angular relationship with the horizontal as the lever 39 is moving in a counterclockwise direction from the position of FIG. 4 to the position of FIG. 1 so that when the counterclockwise moving lever means 39 reaches the position illustrated in FIG. 3, a greater force is being applied by the compression spring 58 in moving such lever means 39 in a counterclockwise direction so that through the flexibility of the lever means 39, the valve member 26 is moved away from its valve seat 25 with substantially a snap action in opposition to the force of the compression spring 36.

Conversely, when the lever means 39 is being moved in a clockwise direction by the expanding power element 64 from the position illustrated in FIG. 3 to the position illustrated in FIG. 4 to open the valve member 28, the line of force of the compression spring 58 is progressively making a smaller angle with the horizontal and, thus, is progressively reducing the force resisting the clockwise movement of the lever means 39 by the expanding power element 64 so that the valve member 28, in effect, mov s away from the valve seat 27 with a snap action in opposition to the force of the compression spring 37.

Therefore, it can be seen that this invention not only provides an improved diverter valve means for controlling the flow of fluid between an inlet means there of and a pair of outlet means therefore, but also this invention provides an improved m thod for operating such a diverter valve means or the like.

What is claimed is:

1. A diverter valve means comprising a housing means having an inlet means and a pair of separate outlet means, a pair of valve seats respectively separating said inlet means from said pair of outlet means, a pair of valve members for respectively opening and closing said pair of outlet means, actuating means carried by said housing means for moving said valve members between their opened and closed positions, said actuating means when in one operating position thereof causing one of said valve members to be in its opened position and the other valve member to be in its closed position, said actuating means when in another operating position thereof causing said other valve member to be in its opened position and said one valve member to be in its closed position, said actuating means when moving between its said operating positions always causing the opened valve member to move to its closed position before said actuating means causes the closed valve member to move to its op ned position, a pair of spring means respectively for said pair of valve members to normally urge said valve members toward their closed positions, and a pair of guide means carried by said housing for respectively guiding the op ning and closing movement of said valve members, each guide means comprising a stem means having one end carried by said housing means and an opposed free end, each valve member having opening means telescopically r ceiving the free end of its respective guide stem means and being axially movable relative thereto.

2. A diverter valve means comprising a housing means having an inlet means and a pair of separate outlet means, a pair of valve seats respectively separating said inlet means from said pair of outlet means, a pair of valve members for respectively opening and closing said pair of outlet means, and actuating means carried by said housing means for moving said valve members between their opened and closed positions, said actuating means when in one operating position thereof causing one of said valve members to be in its opened position and the other valve member to be in its closed position, said actuating means when in another operating position thereof causing said other valve member to be in its opened position and said one valve member to be in its closed position, said actuating means when moving between its said operating positions always causing the opened valve member to move to its closed position before said actuating means causes the closed valve member to move to its opened position, said actuating means including a condi tion responsive means, said condition responsive means including a flame detector means that is adapted to maintain said actuating means in its said one operating position when said detector means does not sense a certain flame means and is adapted to maintain said actuator means in its said other operating position when said detector means senses said certain flame means.

3. A diverter valve means as set forth in claim 2 wherein said condition responsive means includes an expansible and contractible power element, said element being fully contracted when said detector means is not sensing said certain flame means.

4. A diverter valve means as set forth in claim 2 and including a pair of spring means respectively for said pair of valve members to normally urge said valve members toward their closed positions.

5. A diverter valve means as set forth in claim 4 and including a pair of guide means carried by said housing for respectively guiding the opening and closing movement of said valve members.

6. A diverter valve means as set forth in claim 5 wherein said actuating means includes lever means pivotally carried by said housing means, said lever means having end means cooperable wtih said valve members for causing said opening and closing movements thereof.

7. A diverter valve means as set forth in claim 6 wherein said end means of said lever means is bifurcated to straddle said guide means of said valve members.

8. A diverter valve means as set forth in claim 7 and including snap acting means operatively interconnected to said lever means to pivot said lever means with a snap action.

9. A diverter valve means as set forth in claim 2 wherein said outlet means extend in opposite directions from said housing means.

10. A diverter valve means as set forth in claim 9 wherein said outlet means are disposed in olfset axial relation relative to each other.

11. A diverter valve means as set forth in claim 2 wherein said actuating means includes a movable lever means carried by said housing means and being Operatively interconnected to said valve members to cause said movement thereof.

12. A method for controlling fluid flow between an inlet means of a housing means and a pair of outlet means of said housing means that are respectively opened and closed by a pair of valve members moved between their opened and closed positions by actuating means carried by said housing means, said method comprising the steps of moving said actuating means to one operating position thereof to cause one of said valve members to be in its opened position and the other valve member to be in its closed position, and moving said actuating means to another operating position thereof to cause said other valve member to be in its opened position and said one valve member to be in its closed position, said steps of moving said actuating means between its operating position always causing the opened valve member to move to its closed position before said actuating means causes the closed valve member to move to its opened position, the moving of said actuating means between its operating positions being caused by a condition responsive means that includes a flame detector means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,464,286 8/1923 Lundblad 137-6275 2,311,827 2/1943 Hansen 137--627.5 3,233,830 2/1966 Branson et a1.

3,386,656 6/ 1968 Bergquist.

WILLIAM F. ODEA, Primary Examiner R. GERARD, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

